Archive for July, 2012

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Kirby Hoyt: Alright Phoenix, it’s time to find out what we’re made of. The call to improve Margaret T. Hance Park into a world-class amenity has sounded. It’s up to the citizens of this community to answer that call and show the rest of the world what this city is all about. And the challenge is substantial. World-class cities spend world-class amounts of money to construct their public spaces. In order to match what other cities have done, Phoenix will have to step up to the plate and prove their determination for this…

Tweet We all know that after the housing market crash, banks have tightened their fists considerably, making it hard to develop anything at all, much less innovative and equitable transit-oriented projects. The picture looked bleak for new development and redevelopment, where even suburban tract housing developers were dead in the water. But a few years ago, thanks to a very dedicated local team, some funds were secured to bridge the gap of financing for transit oriented development along the Light Rail. This is great news for Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa who have opted into Light Rail and stand to benefit…

Tweet Recently, I found myself talking to a few friends on separate occasions about how many cool new things are happening in Downtown Phoenix right now. We talked about how all these things are having a collective impact and gathering momentum for our Downtown. My friend Philip Beere today remarked on how Downtown has changed immensely in 10 years, going from almost no restaurants or places to hang out to all the places we see today. I’ve seen drastic changes even in the past five years, with a lot of mom and pop small businesses and community efforts taking hold….

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Ryan Glass: Supporting “Local” goes beyond Small Business Saturday We’ve all seen the commercials, “this is the power of us”, illustrating how great small business are and how AMEX customers joined into a massive 1 Million people who chose to shop somewhere other than a big-box retailer or Amazon. Holy cow, imagine what could happen if we only spread the word!! But, I know that on this note I’m preaching to the choir here. I’m sure each reader already has their own favorite local coffee shop (Lola on Roosevelt used to be mine),…

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Jennifer Gunther: After months of negotiation between community members and the developer, the Tempe City Council approved Gracie’s Village, a new, mixed-use building that will combine Gracie’s Thrift Store with affordable housing, on June 14. An extension of Grace Community Church’s ministry, Gracie’s Village will include new retail space for the thrift store and 94 beds for qualifying residents on a two-acre lot that is just west of Apache Boulevard and McClintock Drive. Amenities include a lounge and fitness center for qualifying residents. The density and height of the new building are the…

Tweet Carolyn sauntered up to the bar, music in hand, looking like Brigitte Lin in Chungking Express getting ready to plop a few coins into a jukebox. Four of us remained at the table, watching the progress of her negotiations. Walking back, sans disc, we knew she had succeeded. We had been sitting for hours in a dim corner at the Little Woody and were at that point where we had successfully solved a few of the world’s problems. More importantly, we were fearless enough to suggest a new soundtrack for the entire bar. As the Talking Head’s This Must…

Tweet Today’s post is by contributing writer Kirby Hoyt: What if cities were construed as automobiles are? What would that look like? What would that be like? Currently, the design, production, marketing and sales of autos and homes, at least on the surface, seem fairly similar. Each offer new designs, finish options and utility packages, financing, etc. But if you scratch the surface, you find there are major differences. For instance, an automobile company will invest considerable resources into the research and development of their vehicles. Auto manufacturers are always looking for newer and better technologies that translate into a…